By Michelle Taylor

I started experiencing anxiety not long after I got married, and six years later, it turned into full-blown panic attacks. It was hard—not just on me, but on my family too. I personally chose not to take medication, holding on to the hope that I could learn to work through it and come out the other side with greater peace and joy.

So why am I writing this now? Because I want others who are going through anxiety and panic attacks to know: there is a way out.

One of the first things I did to help myself was to pray—and then immerse my mind in books that supported and encouraged my desire to overcome anxiety. It didn’t take long for me to learn just how powerful our thoughts are. When I realized that thoughts actually affect how the body functions, it hit me: maybe they can change the way our brain works too.

I started reflecting on when my anxiety began and what kinds of thought patterns came with it. I carried so much negativity. Most of my thoughts were rooted in fear—fear that something bad was going to happen to me. I’d create these awful scenarios in my mind, and they would just spiral. Eventually, those thoughts left me paralyzed—too scared to act or move forward.

Once I became aware of the thoughts keeping me stuck in fear, I knew I had to change them. I had to start creating new thoughts—new possibilities. That’s when I began journaling. Writing in my journal gave me a way to get my fears and thoughts out of my head and onto paper. It helped make room in my mind for more positive, hopeful ideas.

I also began intentionally filling my mind with better things—uplifting music, encouraging books, meaningful conversations. I shifted my focus from the darkness I had felt for so long to anything that could bring more light and joy into my life.

As I started to feel those positive shifts, I began to notice the struggles others were going through too. That’s the thing about healing—when we start experiencing joy in our own lives, something in us wants to share it. I felt pulled to help others feel the same transformation I was feeling. I served where I could. And when the opportunity came, I taught others what I was learning about how we can create change in our lives and pursue the things that matter most to us.

There’s nothing quite like seeing someone’s eyes light up with hope—especially when it seemed like they’d given up on ever feeling that way again. That kind of joy? It’s contagious.

We all experience fear and anxiety, especially in stressful seasons. But it’s not about pretending the fear isn’t there—it’s about learning to work through it. It’s about remembering that, no matter what’s happening around us, we can still choose how we feel and respond.

The more we recognize the possibilities around us, the more we can use every experience—good or bad—as a launchpad to move us closer to what we want. Getting through those scary moments gives us strength we didn’t even know we had.

There is hope. There is joy. And there is peace—when we choose it.

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•   To discover how to start choosing more effectively now, read The Jackrabbit Factor (FREE!)  
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